CPS Superintendent's Update

Dear CPS Community,

I hope you all had a wonderful week and are staying warm with the recent cold spell we’ve been experiencing.

The season of giving is in full swing, and our schools have been holding numerous fundraisers, donation drives and service projects for some great causes. The Chelmsford High School National Honor Society hosted its inaugural Festival of Trees last weekend, which was an incredible undertaking. The proceeds will go toward the CPS Holiday Fund for Families in Need. Parker Middle School is in the midst of the annual Be the Change Project, which runs through December 17. In addition to promoting teamwork and kindness, this initiative empowers students to create a positive change in the community. From making birthday cake boxes for the Chelmsford Food Pantry to packing meal kits for Meals of Hope, these students are truly making a difference.

Over at Harrington Elementary School, second graders have once again organized their annual "Share the Warmth" community service project to help those in need in our community. Now through December 19, they will be collecting new hats, mittens and gloves in child to adult sizes to donate to The Wish Project here in Chelmsford. The students have been very involved in the project, making posters and sharing the message around school by doing "commercial" announcements over the loudspeaker, as well as promoting it to family and friends. This initiative not only helps our second graders understand the importance of community, but also promotes kindness, empathy and gratitude.

Next week, we will be hosting the third community forum for the Parker Middle School Building Project. It will be held on Wednesday, December 17, at 7:00 p.m. at the Chelmsford Elks Lodge, 300 Littleton Road. These sessions are a great time for community members to learn more about the project, and to ask questions about what it entails. We hope that you will join us! Also, if you missed the last session on November 20, Chelmsford Telemedia has uploaded it to their site and it can be viewed here.

Our winter concert season kicked off last night with amazing performances from the Chelmsford High School percussion, treble choir, concert choir, band and orchestra ensembles. The musical entertainment will continue next week with the Parker and McCarthy Middle School chorus concerts on Tuesday, December 16, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Then on Thursday, December 18, the Parker and McCarthy Orchestra will take center stage at 7:00 p.m. All performances take place in the Carl J. Rondina Performing Arts Center at CHS and are being recorded by Chelmsford Telemedia for those who wish to watch them at a later date.

Have a great weekend, and to those who celebrate, Happy Hanukkah!

Yours truly,

Jay Lang, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

• Athletics Schedule

• Chelmsford School Committee Meeting: Tuesday, Dec. 16, 6 p.m. Central Administration Offices
• Parker Middle School Chorus Winter Concert: Tuesday, Dec. 16, 6 p.m., CHS PAC
• McCarthy Middle School Chorus Winter Concert: Tuesday, Dec. 16, 7:30 p.m., CHS PAC
• Parker School Building Project Community Forum: Wednesday, Dec. 17, 7 p.m., Chelmsford Elks Lodge
• Parker School Building Committee Meeting: Thursday, Dec. 18, 6 p.m., Central Administration Offices
• Parker & McCarthy Middle School Orchestra Winter Concert: Thursday, Dec. 18, 7 p.m., CHS PAC
• December Recess - No School: Dec. 24-Jan. 2
• School Resumes: Monday, Jan. 5

The Chelmsford Public School Committee will meet on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m. at the Central Administration Offices, 230 North Road. The meeting can be viewed on Comcast channel 22 or Verizon channel 36. It will also be live-streamed by Chelmsford Telemedia here.

The agenda for Tuesday's meeting can be found here.

If you missed the Dec. 2 School Committee meeting, it can be viewed below:

As our schools reopen, this is a final reminder that all students riding the school bus must be registered regardless if a fee is required.

Register Now

Please keep in mind the following:

• All riders must be registered online.
• INCOMPLETE REGISTRATION: Anyone who has received an e-mail message regarding an incomplete bus registration and/or has not completed the registration will not receive a bus pass or be on the driver’s passenger roster.
• ALTERNATE ADDRESS: Any student using an alternate address must contact the transportation department immediately. All riders' addresses are automatically reset to the home address each year. Alternate addresses must be for all 5 days of the week.
• FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: Anyone who has chosen the 'seeking financial assistance' option during registration must apply and be approved for the free and reduced lunch program.

For more information, contact the Transportation Office at 978-251-5100 or by e-mail at brekalisp@chelmsford.k12.ma.us.

To view more photos from the Festival of Trees, please visit our website.

Students in Ms. Venugopal's 5th and 6th Grade Computer Literacy classes at Parker School participated in the annual Computer Science Education Week this December. As part of the global Hour of Code initiative, these students engaged in enjoyable one-hour coding lessons from Dec. 8-12. This event aims to inspire a passion for computer science and provide students with valuable skills in technology.

Byam fourth grade students designed their own digital snow globes using Google Slides. They learned how to layer images, use transparent backgrounds, and arrange shapes to create a winter scene inside a “glass” globe. This project helped them practice creativity, digital design skills, and responsible technology use, all while having fun building a snowy world of their own.

Chelmsford High robotics students have been busy. They recently took part in a VEX "Push Back" Challenge, and also visited the UMass Lowell NERVE robotics testing center to see state of the art robots like the Boston Dynamics Spot.

The Town of Chelmsford is in the process of working with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) in order to construct a new school for the community.

The project has been accepted into the feasibility study phase, with the School Building Committee recently bringing on board LeftField, LLC, as the Owners Project Manager (OPM) and Ai3 Architects as the project designer.

Two community forums regarding the Parker Middle School Building Project have been held over the past couple months. Chelmsford Telemedia recorded both events and have made them available to view here:

The next community forum for the Parker Middle School Building Project will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m., at the Chelmsford Elks Lodge, 300 Littleton Road.

If you're looking for additional information about the ongoing Parker Middle School Building Project, please visit our website to learn more and stay updated:

The next School Building Committee meeting will take place on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 6 p.m. at the Chelmsford Public Schools Administration Offices, 230 North Road, Chelmsford.

If you missed the Nov. 20 meeting, you can watch it here:

All eight of Chelmsford Public Schools' PTOs, as well as the Council of Chelmsford Schools, now have their very own website. It's a one-stop shop to find out information about PTO meetings, events, fundraisers, scholarships and much more.

Registration for Chelmsford Community Education’s Winter/Spring session is open!

CommEd is excited to offer a wide variety of engaging programs this winter and spring. Here are just a few highlights you can look forward to:

• Creative Arts & Crafts
• Youth STEM Workshops
• Adult Fitness & Wellness
• Culinary Classes
• Enrichment Programs for All Ages

To explore all the course offerings for the Winter/Spring session, visit ChelmsfordCommunityEd.com. Be sure to check the website regularly and follow Chelmsford Community Education on Facebook and Instagram (@commedwestlands) for the latest updates and announcements.

Sketchbook Spectacular is a FREE art initiative open to artists of all ages in the Chelmsford community and beyond. All mediums are welcome, including drawing, watercolor and collage. Participants are encouraged to explore prompts in their sketchbooks, but the prompts can also inspire free-standing artwork. Developed by Parker Middle School artist-educator Ashley Norman, this project is perfect for starting or maintaining an art practice throughout the year. Want to share your work? Email your art to normana@chelmsford.k12.ma.us.

Chelmsford High School is looking to expand its current partnerships to support the Innovation Pathways Program. Final requirements for this program require students to complete an industry-related capstone project or internship during the spring of their senior year in high-need employment areas such as business & finance, information technology, engineering, and life sciences. More information about our pathways can be found here.

If your business would like to be a part of this partnership, please reach out to Ms. DaSilva, the Career and College Facilitator, and Mr. Morris, the K12 Science Coordinator.

This year, Massachusetts is offering all school lunch and breakfast at no charge to students. This does not automatically make families eligible for any other benefits. Families that feel they are eligible for transportation or extended day reduced tuition are strongly encouraged to fill out the online free and reduced meal application.

Dozens of colleges and universities sent representatives to Chelmsford High School during the fall to meet with students interested in continuing their education at a post-secondary institution. More dates for spring visits will be added soon. Please see the College Visit Schedule for more updates.

Follow the CHS Career and College Readiness Center on Instagram: @chs.careercenter

We are thrilled to announce a partnership with Middlesex Community College (MCC) offering all CHS freshmen a free, 1-credit College and Career Exploration I course. This fully online, self-paced program allows students to build essential study habits and explore potential careers via Edgenuity and SCOIR, with support available during PLUS and PRIDE Blocks. To earn this free college credit, students must complete the course modules by June 1. Registration is now open: interested students must submit the required google form (link HERE) and MCC application paperwork to Gabriella DaSilva in the Career Center no later than Jan. 16, 2026. Students can get a copy of the MCC application and registration forms with their guidance counselors or Ms. DaSilva . Students that completed IDS101 last year will be contacted individually to register for IDS 106. Please contact Ms. DaSilva at dasilvag@chelmsford.k12.ma.us for application forms or questions.

The Chelmsford Public Schools utilizes SchoolSpring to advertise job postings and the online application process. To apply for any of our positions, please visit our website.

The CPS Health Services Department is committed to providing evidence-based/best practice holistic nursing care to the unique, culturally diverse students of Chelmsford Public Schools. In collaboration with all stakeholders, we advocate for their safety and healthcare needs. We are dedicated professionals who are committed to bridging health care with education and making a positive impact on the present and future wellness of Chelmsford’s school community. Please visit the Health Services page on the website for all your health services needs.

Here are some noteworthy events and activities taking place around Chelmsford in the coming weeks:

There are a plethora of local youth sports and scouting organizations that hold fundraisers and recruiting events throughout the school year. Some may also be seeking volunteers. If you're a parent looking for social and skill-building opportunities for your child or children, we have launched a new webpage devoted to just that. In addition to event information, this resource page will also feature links to all the websites or social media accounts for youth sports leagues and scouting troops. So head on over there and check it out!

Chelmsford High School has a cashless system for admittance to its regular season home athletic events. To get your tickets, CHS has partnered with GoFan.co, a digital, cashless ticketing app used by more than 10,000 schools, for fast and convenient payments for regular season home games. CHS fans are encouraged to download the GoFan app. For Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association postseason tournaments, the MIAA also utilizes GoFan.co as its own ticketing system. Visit the MIAA Ticket Information page.

The mission of the Chelmsford Public Schools is to educate, engage, prepare, and empower well-rounded and knowledgeable learners who PERSEVERE through challenges, demonstrate RESPECT and INTEGRITY in their words and actions, are DEDICATED to their community, and display EMPATHY as global citizens while discovering and pursuing their full potential.

Email: information@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
Website: https://chelmsfordschools.org
Location: 230 North Road, Chelmsford, MA, USA
Phone: (978) 251-5100
Facebook: facebook.com/chelmsfordpublicschools

Instagram: @chelmsfordpublicschools X: @CPSchoolsMA